\Note\, n. [F. note, L. nota; akin to noscere, notum, to
know. See {Know}.]
1. A mark or token by which a thing may be known; a visible
sign; a character; a distinctive mark or feature; a
characteristic quality.
Whosoever appertain to the visible body of the
church, they have also the notes of external
profession. --Hooker.
She [the Anglican church] has the note of
possession, the note of freedom from party
titles,the note of life -- a tough life and a
vigorous. --J. H.
Newman.
What a note of youth, of imagination, of impulsive
eagerness, there was through it all ! --Mrs. Humphry
Ward.
2. A mark, or sign, made to call attention, to point out
something to notice, or the like; a sign, or token,
proving or giving evidence.
3. A brief remark; a marginal comment or explanation; hence,
an annotation on a text or author; a comment; a critical,
explanatory, or illustrative observation.
The best writers have been perplexed with notes, and
obscured with illustrations. --Felton.
4. A brief writing intended to assist the memory; a
memorandum; a minute.
5. pl. Hence, a writing intended to be used in speaking;
memoranda to assist a speaker, being either a synopsis, or
the full text of what is to be said; as, to preach from
notes; also, a reporter's memoranda; the original report
of a speech or of proceedings.
6. A short informal letter; a billet.
7. A diplomatic missive or written communication.
8. A written or printed paper acknowledging a debt, and
promising payment; as, a promissory note; a note of hand;
a negotiable note.
9. A list of items or of charges; an account. [Obs.]
Here is now the smith's note for shoeing. --Shak.
10. (Mus.)
(a) A character, variously formed, to indicate the length
of a tone, and variously placed upon the staff to
indicate its pitch. Hence:
(b) A musical sound; a tone; an utterance; a tune.
(c) A key of the piano or organ.
The wakeful bird . . . tunes her nocturnal
note. --Milton.
That note of revolt against the eighteenth
century, which we detect in Goethe, was struck
by Winckelmann. --W. Pater.
11. Observation; notice; heed.
Give orders to my servants that they take No note
at all of our being absent hence. --Shak.
12. Notification; information; intelligence. [Obs.]
The king . . . shall have note of this. --Shak.
13. State of being under observation. [Obs.]
Small matters . . . continually in use and in note.
--Bacon.
14. Reputation; distinction; as, a poet of note.
There was scarce a family of note which had not
poured out its blood on the field or the scaffold.
--Prescott.
15. Stigma; brand; reproach. [Obs.] --Shak.
{Note of hand}, a promissory note.

\Note\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Noted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Noting}.] [F. noter, L. notare, fr. nota. See {Note}, n.]
1. To notice with care; to observe; to remark; to heed; to
attend to. --Pope.
No more of that; I have noted it well. --Shak.
2. To record in writing; to make a memorandum of.
Every unguarded word . . . was noted down.
--Maccaulay.
3. To charge, as with crime (with of or for before the thing
charged); to brand. [Obs.]
They were both noted of incontinency. --Dryden.
4. To denote; to designate. --Johnson.
5. To annotate. [R.] --W. H. Dixon.
6. To set down in musical characters.
{To note a bill} or {draft}, to record on the back of it a
refusal of acceptance, as the ground of a protest, which
is done officially by a notary.